Animal trap



May 31, 1932. SCHMZ 1,860,599

ANIMAL TRAP Filed Dec. 1 8, 1930 Jonn. M. soHILTzfoF WICHITA, Kansas Patented May 31, 1932' ANIMAL TRAP Application filed-December 18, 1930. Serial No. 503,206.

I 'My invention relates: to an animaltrap,

particularly a trap designedto trap" rodents and other similar'small animals.

Z My'inventionmay be considered, to a certain extent, as employingsome of the features of my patent application, Serial Number 298,- 188, filedAugust 9, 1928, in which the trap is connected "with a-glass'bottle or' the like so that the animal entrapped maybe seen through the bottle.

' An object of my present invention is having a cap structure which may be-secured to the neck-ofa bottle by screw threading thereion',-and this 'capstructure has the trapping elements secured thereto and positioned onthe outside ofthe cap structure and, hence, on the outside of the-lbottle. f A further. obj'ect'and feature of myinvention is a trapping arrangement havinga passage with aniupward incline-for the rodent to follow, and in this passage having a runway, which, after the animal has advanced partly in the trap, tilts=upwardly,'thus forming. with agate element a, blockade of such passage and preventing movement of a gate which forms'a partial bar or closure ofth'e passage. In'this connection another detailed fea'ture of employing the pivotal runway i'sthat such-runway is soarranged that when the animal bearssome of its weight on the inner end of the runway in? attempting "an exit, this tilts up'and again secures the gate from movement. I I

A further object of my invention is the emnloyment of a pivotally mounted gate having its pivotsfinthe upper partof the passage on, each side the'reofQand'this gate is "provided with a seriesof prongs or sharp points. The gate is pivoted so that'it be readily lifted byan animal passing up and .into the runway into-the trap butthe prongs will preventthe animalirom backing out, or, if the gate should, for any reason, remain partly open-the prongs would. catch the animal and preventits exit. :The gate is heavier at the lower portions so thatitEisnormally inclined downwardly and engages, against stops orabutments on theipivoted runway,

thus preventing the gate; from opening outinserted and'then the cap attached by screw threading on the bottle orcontainer.

My invention isillustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which? Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section taken on the line 11 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 2 is a front elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 3 isa section similar to Fig. 1 with portions of the trap in a difi'erent position;

. Fi .4 is an enlarged section of the lower end of the gate and the tilting runway in the position of Fig. 1; y g

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the same elements in the position of Fig. 3.

In my invention I employ a container 11 which ispreferably a glass bottle with a large opening 12 or other suitable device, this havgage the ground or floor. There are opposite side walls 22 and an inclined top 23, the top being parallel to the floor '19. -These elements are preferably secured to the disk 15 ofthe cover by having tongues 24 extending through slots in the disk, these being bent overron the inside.

A tilta-ble runway designated generally 25 is mounted on a pivot rod 26, which rod passes through openings in the side walls 22.

This runway has an outer portion 27 and an i inner portion 28, these being formed corrugated, as indicated at 29. Operating in the passage, there is a pivot gate 30, this being indicated as having slight projections 31 at the top, which extend outwardly through openings 32 in the side walls at the lower end of the inclined top 23. This gate has an opening 33 therethrough with prongs 34 projecting downwardly into this opening. The gate may tilt upwardly sufliciently to allow passage of an animal inwardly as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, but in the normal position occupies the full line position of Fig. l. g

The lower portion 27 provided with a 'pairof apertures 35 on opposite sides, there being an upturned abutment 36 adjacenteach perforation, and these perforations accommodate the lower side portions-37 of the gate. In the normal position of the runway, asshown in Figs. 1 to 4, the lower portion of the gate bears against the abutment 36 and is free to tilt inwardly. However, when an animal "goes up the passage, walking up the runway, as soon as his weight isplaced on the inner portion 28, the runway tilts upwardly from "the position of F ig. 1 to that of Fig. 3. Ontheentrance ofthe animal, the gate tilts from the positionofFigs. 1 and 4 to the dotted line position of Fig. 1, allowing the free entrance of the animal. However, should it attempt to back out, the prongs will dig into it and prevent its retreat, and thus urge theanimal toenter the container. When the lower vportions 37 of the gate extend through the perforations 35, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the gate is locked from movement either upwardly or outwardly.

A bait hook 38 is provided, this being formed by cutting a slit 39 in the-inclined top 23 o f the passage and bending the metal cut inwardly. This, then, has a sharpened point 40 on which bait may be secured. The bait, therefore, is at "the upper endof the y sageway and in a position to be noti by the animal and to attract such animal into the trap, and as the cap 14 and the complete passageway may be readily removed from the container, it will be seen that the trap is easily baited.

Various-changes may be made in the details of construction without "departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by thea'ppended claims.

I claim:

1. A trap having a container with an enclosed passageway having an inclined floor leading thereto, a pivotally mounted runway in one position being substantially parallel to the said floor, said runway having means to tilt same due to the weight of an animal moving through the passage, apivotally mounted gate, means cooperating with said gate and the runway to limit the outward movement of the gate, the said gate swinging inwardly on the inward passage of an animal, and means on the runway when tilted to engage the gate when in its closed position.

2. A trap having a container with an enclosed passageway leading thereto, such passagewa'y having'au ifloor, a runway pivoted intermediate its ends and having a. first section which in its lowermost position is to the floor, and having a second section extending partly into the container, a 'pivdtally mounted gate in the passageway haviugineans to engage an animal an interof the runway 25 is acting means between the gate and the runwaywhen'kiitslo to 'event outward movement of the gate, the said gate being free totilt inwardly ior'emra'noe ofan animal, a'seeond means intamngtging between the and the runway to prevent movement 0'' the in either direction when the runway is mits u est tion.

3. 'A'trap having a container an enclosed passageway having an inclined her, a pivotally mounted runway having a corngated "section which in its inoperative position is substantially to the 5001', I pivdially mounted gate having pmngs to algage an abatmentlugs on the runway engaging the gate to outward movement thereof, the sad nmwsy hag perforations to engage the gab when runwayris in its uppermost and thereby lock thegote {mm movement.

4. A trap having a passage with un inoliaed floor arimway pivoted adjaomt the upper e'ndoi the floor ving a first sectim substantially paallel to the runway and a second 860MB extending inwardly toward the container, said nmway ing abutmait lugs 'on opposite apertures ad' t themtqa gate .pivotdly mountedin t upper .part of the pasaagem and having prongs to engage an animal with side portions engaging the said abutments to prevent outward movement of the gate when the runway is in its 'lowemnst position, the said runway when in its uppermost position engaging the saidgabe to lock same rom movement. p g

5. A trap having a container with an enclosed passageway haviu afloor, a't'iltable runway pi oted inte'i'me iate its ends and having its inner portion prcgiecting into the container, a gate pivoted ove the floor, means on the runway enga'fig the gate to prevent outward movement t allowing inwa'r'd movement 6. A trap having a container with an enclosed passageway runway pivoted ntermediate its ends and having its inner pm'tion into the container, a gate pivoted above the floor, means on the runwayen'glging the gate to prevent outward movement but allowing inhaving a floor, a tiltabk! ward movement thereof, said runway being provided with means coacting with the gate to lock the gate against movement in either direction when the runway is tilted upwardly.

7. A trap having a container with an enclosed passageway having a fioor, a tiltable runway pivoted intermediate its ends and having its inner portion projecting into the container, a gate having prongs to engage an animal, said gate being pivoted above the floor, abutment lugs on the runway engaging the gate to prevent outward movement but allowing inward movement thereof, said runway being provided with means coacting with the gate to lock the gate against move- -ment in either direction when the runway is tilted upwardly. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN M. SCHILTZ. 

